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stevi beeBRONZE Member
member
4 posts
Location: glasgow, United Kingdom


Posted:
hello
i use paraffin for poi, but living in the UK and having recently moved to the middle of nowhere where paraffin isnt easy (impossible in fact) to come by, i was wondering about petrol as there is a basic petrol station 20 miles away - anyone got any advice or alternatives? i was recently in central america and im sure they were using gasoline there.
cheers

margitaSILVER Member
.:*distracted by shiny things*:.
3,777 posts
Location: brizvegas, Australia


Posted:
eek again with the dead horse comment - DON'T USE PETROL/GASOLINE!! there's a reason you're not allowed to smoke at petrol/gas stations y'know!!! eek

i have a similar problem...i can't exactly get firewater or anything real close where i live! so i either ask some lovely people to buy it for me or i look for a close alternative! you can get low odour & smoke kero (paraffin). kero is evil, but petrol is just plain dumb!!

hope you find a happy, not too smelly and not too dangerous alternative!! biggrin

do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and good to eat!



if at first you do succeed, try not to look too astonished!



smile! :grin: it confuses people!


squarefishSILVER Member
(...trusty steed of the rodeo midget...)
403 posts
Location: the state of flux, Ireland


Posted:
Hey ado,
might not mention fire spinning but I find it very useful for heating my portable space wink biggrin

GelflingBRONZE Member
Watcher of 80s cartoons
665 posts
Location: Chepstow & Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
What we need is some environmentally inclined person to start manufacturing a product specifically for fire arts from plant life in a similar way to bio-fuel manufacture and a suitable distribution system and at just the right cost and………………..

>What do you think about the state of the Earth?
>I'm optimistic.
>So why do you look so sad?
>I'm not sure that my optimism is justified.


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
a badger?

umm

Dragon Princessstranger
50 posts
Location: Here, there, elsewhere


Posted:
[------------------

DO NOT EVER use fuel that goes in motor vehicles, as it is highly explosive and gives off volatile fumes.

Be extremely wary of any fuel which can be ignited after being poured onto the ground.

Fuels that are used to power small greenhouse heaters, and which will NOT ignite when poured onto the ground, are generally the safest.

-----------------





Two points.

I have seen diesel, siphoned straight out of a third world country motorbike, used for fire-spinning, and it looked fine. It stunk to high heaven, and left some pretty awful residue, but didn't behave in a dangerous manner. Having said that, I wouldn't use it until I'd done a bit more safety data research on it. Has anyone else used it? How does it compare to ULP/white spirits etc from a saftey point of view?

Secondly, there are a lot of places in the world where people don't have greenhouses, or even heaters (especially in tropical climates and poverty-stricken communities) and I don't consider pouring random fuels on the ground and lighting them either safe, or environmentally appropriate. I understand the 'simplicity' principle, but can you rework it to make it applicable more widely and more safely?

I am glad this is an international game - I learnt in school that the world spins, and now I know it's true.



quietanalytic
503 posts
Location: bristol


Posted:
mm, diesel should be ok. just.

its flash point is so high that diesel engines need to compress the air-fuel mixture forcefully in order to ignite it - unlike petrol.

this is, however, just *conjecture* [i.e. i dunno what the flash point actually is].

i would still avoid using it.

ture na sig


onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
Written by: Dragon Princess



Written by: onewheeldave



[------------------



DO NOT EVER use fuel that goes in motor vehicles, as it is highly explosive and gives off volatile fumes.



Be extremely wary of any fuel which can be ignited after being poured onto the ground.



Fuels that are used to power small greenhouse heaters, and which will NOT ignite when poured onto the ground, are generally the safest.



-----------------








Two points.



I have seen diesel, siphoned straight out of a third world country motorbike, used for fire-spinning, and it looked fine. It stunk to high heaven, and left some pretty awful residue, but didn't behave in a dangerous manner. Having said that, I wouldn't use it until I'd done a bit more safety data research on it. Has anyone else used it? How does it compare to ULP/white spirits etc from a saftey point of view?



Secondly, there are a lot of places in the world where people don't have greenhouses, or even heaters (especially in tropical climates and poverty-stricken communities) and I don't consider pouring random fuels on the ground and lighting them either safe, or environmentally appropriate. I understand the 'simplicity' principle, but can you rework it to make it applicable more widely and more safely?






To some extent, with any concise and simple summary, it's inevitable that it's not going to be 100% accurate. IMO it's best to err on the side of caution, so, if the consise and simple summary does steer people away from using petrol, then, the fact that it also steers them away from using diesil, is, IMO, acceptable.



Good point about people in tropical climates not knowing about greenhouse heaters- anyone got any suggestions for this one?



Concerning pouring fuel on the ground; you're right, it could be dangerous- I've edited my post to add a recommendation to use a small quantity of fuel



So, to re-cap, it now reads: -





--------------------------



DO NOT EVER use fuel that goes in motor vehicles, as it is highly explosive and gives off volatile fumes.



Be extremely wary of any fuel which can be ignited after being poured onto the ground (if you're going to try this, use small quantities please.



Fuels that are used to power small greenhouse heaters, and which will NOT ignite when poured onto the ground, are generally the safest.

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
Wow,,,a diesel motorcycle, those things are rare, are you certain it was diesel? Diesel has a very high flashpoint, it's just this side of impossible to light with a match, maybe with a propane torch.

Might it have been a blend of gasoline and motor oil? I'm thinking two stroke engines here, but I've never owned a two stroke motorcycle that needs the oil mixed in with the gas, outboard motors,,yes.

A good way to judge the volatility of a fuel, if you don't like the pouring it on the ground idea, is to pour a little on your fingers. Does it feel cold as it evaporates? Like Colemans, gasoline, alcohol? if yes then it's volatile. Kerosene, diesel, lamp oil are going to feel more oily, and not readily evaporate from your skin...these are the safer fuels.

In third world countries, look for oil lamps, not heaters. Check restaurants to see if they have any oil lamps and if they do, then ask where they got the fuel. I've bought lamp oil as * that blue liquid in the orange juice bottles* before

StoneGOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
Me too stout, but then they still make Royal Enfields in India.

Link to bikes and biodiesel


wink

If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh


Dragon Princessstranger
50 posts
Location: Here, there, elsewhere


Posted:
Onewheeldave,
I accept your point about it being safer to exclude diesel than to include petrol, so yes, I guess that's ok. The environmentalist in me,and the bit that prefers not to see my colleagues explode, appreciates the modification, too.

And Stout, given the enterprising nature of poor Thai lads, it may well have been an outboard motor with two wheels and a handlebar that I naively mistook for a motorbike! I vaguely recall someone's zippo being emptied on the poi in order to light it... but that might have been a different occasion.

Lamp oil is what I've ususally asked for, too. Oils used for 'indoor' heating or lighting might be a useful phrase. In Indonesia, it was usually sold in used water bottles... Important to sniff the contents before you chug it down after a long sweaty burn!

And 'parrafin' doesn't work - you end up with some desperate-to-please street urchin stealing the candles from the temple for you.

I am glad this is an international game - I learnt in school that the world spins, and now I know it's true.



UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
I would just like to point out that vasaline isnt flammable, even though it is made from Petroleum Jelly.

Whether this is like Rowntrees jelly, I dont know.

Its is a good lubricant though.
The vasaline, not the rowntrees...

rolleyes

StoneGOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
confused UCOF

dunno if you are pulling our legs or yanking our chains or wot ..... ?

I'm not sure about Rowntrees jelly, but I think they use petroleum jelly in napalm eek


cheers wink

If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh


UCOFSILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales


Posted:
wink

kiss

StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
Ah,,,Thailand, then you have first hand experience of what NOT to do when it comes to fire safety. i.e. putting your flaming poi out by dipping them into the open bucket of lamp oil. And spinning off?? what's that?? Try that with some of our western fuels,,,yikes

Stone, thanks for the link, when I read DP's post, I googled up diesel motorcycles, because I'd never heard of them, and found that site, did you see the site advertising the bike with the detuned turbine engine? The one that redlines at 54 000 rpm ? only $150 000 ubblol

I have some biodiesel on the way, I know someone who knows someone who makes it but Juggling With a Twists website says it needs to be at least 20% methanol in order to make it flammable, and apparently it smells like the food that was cooked in the oil. I hope this guy doesn't source his grease from a fish 'n chips shop.

StoneGOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
stout, no I missed the turbine bike garage sale. It’s probably Jay Leno’s, I heard it was on the market. Not enough power of something wink



There is a local bus line running on bio-diesel, but as you guessed, the busses smell like fish and chip shops. A year or so ago there was one petrol station in Sydney that opened a bio diesel bowser, not sure if they are still operating. Never fear, hydrogen fuel cell motor bikes will be on the road in the next few years.



UCOF, try sterno cans NYC style wink



cheers smile

If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh


boomer235SILVER Member
stranger
12 posts
Location: Arizona, USA


Posted:
Like everyone.. don't use gasoline.!! Ever!
However years ago while in Mexico I was looking for Kerosene for a space heater. No one had a clue when I asked for kerosene. I finally asked for "Heater oil" (spanish equiv) What they gave me was not explosivly volitile like Gasoline they called it "Petrolio" it was very very similar to kerosene and fueled the space heater just fine.
This may have cause confusion in South America. In general even in very poor third world countries there is access to Lamp or heater oil. It gets used when electricity is unavailible or scarce.
my .02
BooM


weavesmiley Spin cause ya' gotta!!


quietanalytic
503 posts
Location: bristol


Posted:
'I would just like to point out that vasaline isnt flammable, even though it is made from Petroleum Jelly.

but doesn't cotton wool which has been smeared in vaseline make a good substitute for firelighters?

ture na sig


boomer235SILVER Member
stranger
12 posts
Location: Arizona, USA


Posted:
petroleum jelly aka (Vaseline)
is flammable. It is used with cotton balls (or wool) to make water resistant fire tinder for camping etc...
Petroleum jelly is flammable, but not very, because it is not very volatile and so the supply of oxygen necessary for combustion is limited. The cotton acts as a wick, allowing oxygen access to the fuel. (stolen from google)
ubbloco


weavesmiley Spin cause ya' gotta!!


FlamingOberonGOLD Member
ohm mani padme hum
134 posts
Location: Worcester, MA, USA


Posted:
the few folks i have known who spin diesel use it for daytime spins, because it smokes to high heaven, and if youre going to spin for an audience and do it with daylight absorbing your beautiful fire you gotta give the audiene soemthing right? i couldnt imagine using it ona regular basis though, never mind that it is dangerous, it stinks and is smoky...

stevo_the_piratenewbie
4 posts
Location: Crawley, West Sussex


Posted:
If there is a homebase anywhere near you they sell parafin under the name "superwarm fuel" which they sell in gallon bottles which is used in the patio heaters which are all the rage nowadays.

Another reason against petrol is it burns very hot and at the very least will damage your wicks making it possible for them to unravel and come off your chains. If you hit yourself with your poi the petrol will transfer to you or your clothes and cause serious burns almost instantly. That's if you make it past the lighting up stage with your skin attached.

Every day's a schoolday.


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